Peopleperhour.com is a thriving marketplace that focuses specifically on business services such as admin, secretarial jobs, sales and marketing and translation.
With over 1.1 million freelancers on the platform and over $3.7 million paid to freelancers a year it is a thriving platform.
That said there are plenty of reasons for a freelancer to look for a People Per Hour alternative, plus it’s always a good idea not to be totally reliant on just one platform either as a seller or a buyer too.
This post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something we may earn a commission. Thanks.
Below are 9 People Per Hour alternatives for both buyers and sellers:
| Marketplace | No. Active Freelancers | Estimated Annual Revenue | Monthly Web Traffic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upwork | 6,000,000 | $343,000,000 | 3,800,000 |
| People Per Hour | 1,100,000+ | $3,700,000 | 325,000 |
| Fiverr | 850,000+ | $700,000,000 | 6,400,000 |
| Freelancer | 41,000,000 | $45,000,000 | 738,000 |
| 99 Designs | 1,000,000+ | $60,000,000 | 155,000 |
| Truelancer | – | $49,000,000 | 281,000 |
| Servicescape | – | – | 146,000 |
| TopTal | – | $520,000,000 | 959,000 |
| SEO Clerk | – | $3,000,000 | 47,000 |
1. Upwork
Upwork is one of the best-known online marketplaces.
It is one of the bigger online marketplaces it offers all the services that People per Hour sells and more.
Upwork Fees Vs People Per Hour Fees
| Platform | Seller Fees |
|---|---|
| People Per Hour | 20% for the first $350 per buyer. 7.5% from $350–$6,500 per buyer. 3.5% on orders over 6,500 pounds per buyer. |
| Upwork | 20% for the first $500 per seller. 10% per buyer with orders between $500.01 and $10,000. 5% for totals over $10,000 per buyer. |
Upwork’s fees are more expensive than People Per Hour for any job exceeding $350.
People Per Hour charges a 20% fee (the same as Upwork) for jobs up to £350 per buyer, then after their fees drop making them cheaper than Upwork.
Both Upwork & People Per Hour do not require monthly subscriptions as is used by some platforms.
However be aware that if you keep money in your People Per Hour account you may be charged a $13.95 monthly fee.
People Per Hour clearly state that they “Are Not A Bank”, so they discourage users from storing money in their account, so make sure you regularly withdraw any freelancer payments you receive.
Upwork For Sellers
Upwork is about as competitive for sellers as People Per Hour.
There are far more freelancers registered on Upwork (6,000,000+) than People per Hour(1,100,000+), both platforms cover broadly similar job types.
On People Per Hour there may be fewer people competing for each job however there are also fewer jobs available on there than on Upwork.
Upwork For Buyers
Upwork generally has higher quality freelancers on the platform thanks to their vetting procedures.
They also make it very easy for buyers to find high-performing sellers by using job success scores talent badges.
Upwork Stats
| Number Of Active Freelancers | Annual Revenue | Organic Web Traffic | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upwork | 6,000,000 | $343,000,000 | 3,800,000 visits a month |
2. Guru
Guru is a more focussed marketplace than People Per Hour with all of its gigs being related to business services.
Also Read: 9 Guru Alternatives For Buyers & Sellers
Guru Fees Vs People Per Hour Fees
| Platform | Seller Fees |
|---|---|
| Guru | 9% for freelancers with free or basic accounts 7% for professional accounts 6% for business accounts 5% for executive accounts They also charge a 2.5% fee on any invoice paid* |
| People Per Hour | 20% for the first $350 per buyer. 7.5% from $350–$6,500 per buyer. 3.5% on orders over 6,500 pounds per buyer. |
Guru has a sliding fee scale that is based on the level of your membership rather than how much you spend.
Despite this People Per Hour is a more budget-friendly choice than Guru for anyone who is planning to spend over $6,500, even if you have a top-level ‘executive account’ on Guru.
For smaller orders (under $350, Guru is far more budget-friendly with much lower fees – maxing out at 9% with a free account), even when you factor in their monthly membership plan costs this is likely to be cheaper than the 20% charged on People Per Hour.
| Basic | Basic+ | Plus | Professional | Premier | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guru Monthly Cost | Free | $8.95 | $15.95 | $24.95 | $39.95 |
Guru For Sellers
Guru sellers are incentivized to purchase premium plans so that you can bid on more jobs.
In fact, Guru’s setup is very similar to that of Freelancer.
Competition on Guru tends to be lower than People Per Hour as there are fewer active users on the platform, so if you are struggling to win jobs on PPH then Guru could be worth trying.
People Per Hour For Buyers
Guru offers a smaller pool of freelancers than PPH however they are generally more focused on specific business services such as admin and secretarial jobs, sales and marketing and translation so if you need service in any of these areas it is well worth a look.
People Per Hour Stats
| Number Of Active Freelancers | Annual Revenue | Organic Web Traffic | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guru | 800,000 | $250,000,000+ | 159,000 visits a month |
3. Fiverr
Fiverr is a very well-known budget-friendly freelance platform.
With prices starting at $5 Fiverr is a great place to go for quick jobs on a budget.
Also Read: 9 Fiverr Alternatives For Freelancers & Buyers
Fiverr Fees Vs People Per Hours Fees
| Platform | Seller Fees |
|---|---|
| Fiverr | 20% |
| People Per Hour | 20% for the first $350 per buyer. 7.5% from $350–$6,500 per buyer. 3.5% on orders over 6,500 pounds per buyer. |
Fiverr’s fees are significantly more expensive than PPH.
All jobs are charged a flat-rate fee of 20%, this matches PPH’s top fee of 20% for jobs under $350.
For jobs exceeding $350 then PPH offers far lower fees.
Fiverr For Sellers
Work on Fiverr is structured around quick, one-off, gigs whereas PPH is typically focused on creating more long-term business relationships.
Becoming a successful seller on Fiverr hinges around managing to get your gig ranking well on the platform so that you get a constant stream of work.
Fiverr For Buyers
Fiverr has many positives for Buyers, if you need a quick turnaround on a small job then Fiverr is a great place to go.
Fiverr is also one of the cheapest freelance platforms so is ideal for buyers on a tight budget.
However, due to the lack of vetting and the fact that anyone can sell (almost) any service they want on Fiverr the quality is often far lower than what you’d get on PPH.
Fiverr Stats
| Number Of Active Freelancers | Annual Revenue | Organic Web Traffic | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fiverr | 840,000+ | $700,000,000 | 6,400,000 visits a month |
4. 99 Designs
99 Designs is an exclusively graphic design-focused marketplace, it costs significantly more than People Per Hour but if you’re looking to hire the very best design specialists then you should consider them.
99 Designs Fees Vs People Per Hour Fees
| Platform | Seller Fees |
|---|---|
| People Per Hour | 20% for the first $350 per buyer. 7.5% from $350–$6,500 per buyer. 3.5% on orders over 6,500 pounds per buyer. |
| 99 Designs | 5% platform fee |
99 Designs uses a very different pricing structure to most other freelance platforms.
They have two systems:
- A design competition – these can range from as little as $49 for a ‘Bronze’ banner ad competition to as much as $2,499 for a ‘Platinum’ WordPress theme design package.
- Negotiate directly with designers – You can request quotes from multiple designers and receive quotes.
Their platform fees are fairly cheap though at only 5%, cheaper than the fees charged on PPH jobs of up to $6,500 in value.
If you’d rather put more of your money in the freelancer’s pocket as opposed to the platform’s pocket then 99 Designs is a good choice for jobs up to $6,500.
99 Designs For Sellers
99 Designs is all about graphic design, with thousands of highly talented graphic designers on the platform who have all been vetted for quality, it’s important that you have strong design skills to be able to stand out from everyone else.
This is very different to PPH which covers a broad range of services. If you are a design specialist then you definitely want to be on 99 Designs, however it is prudent to be present on both platforms.
99 Designs For Buyers
If you’re looking for a cheap alternative to PPH then 99 Designs could be a good solution.
Unlike PPH, 99 Designs vets all their designers and they offer a money-back guarantee if you are not happy with the result.
When you’re looking for a designer on their platform you can either host a design contest, where designers will all submit designs and you can choose your favorite one or you can browse their marketplace.
If you are willing to pay a bit more for a higher quality design then 99 Designs is a better place to go for design-specific work than PPH.
99 Designs Stats
| Number Of Active Freelancers | Annual Revenue | Organic Web Traffic | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 99 Designs | 1,000,000+ | $60,000,000 | 155,000 visits a month |
5. Freelancer
Freelancer offers a similarly broad range of services to PPH, the two platforms are close competitors.
Also read: 9 Freelancer Alternatives To Buy & Sell On
Freelancer Fees Vs PPH Fees
| Platform | Seller Fees |
|---|---|
| Freelancer.com | 10% for hourly projects. For set price projects the fees are either 10% or $5, whichever is greater. |
| PPH | 20% for the first $350 per buyer. 7.5% from $350–$6,500 per buyer. 3.5% on orders over 6,500 pounds per buyer. |
Freelancer is cheaper than PPH for set-priced jobs under $350 in value.
For hourly jobs, they charge a flat rate of 10%. Hourly jobs on Freelancer could be cheaper than PPH providing the total hourly cost equates to less than $350.
However it is important to remember that, unlike People Per Hour, Freelancer charges seller account fees which add to your total cost on their platform:
| Basic | Basic+ | Professional | Business | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freelancer | £2.95 | £5.95 | £19.95 | £39.95 |
| Freelancer Bids/month | 50 | 100 | 300 | 1,500 |
Freelancer For Sellers
Freelancer sellers are incentivized to purchase premium plans so that they can bid on more jobs.
Competition on Freelancer tends to be somewhat higher than on PPH as there are far more active users on the platform (44 million on Freelancer, 1.1 million on PPH).
Freelancer For Buyers
Freelancer offers a much bigger pool of freelancers meaning you have far more choice, however this can make the process of finding a suitable worker more time-consuming.
Freelancer Stats
| Number Of Active Freelancers | Annual Revenue | Organic Web Traffic | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freelancer | 41,000,000+ | $45,000,000 | 738,000 visits a month |
6. Truelancer
Truelancer is a relatively new (circa 2016) but fast-growing marketplace that offers professional service at very low prices which are comparable with those of Fiverr.
Truelancer Fees Vs PPH Fees
| Platform | Seller Fees |
|---|---|
| Truelancer | 10% for Free & Basic accounts 8% for Pro & Plus accounts |
| PPH | 20% for the first $350 per buyer. 7.5% from $350–$6,500 per buyer. 3.5% on orders over 6,500 pounds per buyer. |
Truelancer is cheaper than PPH for jobs under $350 in value however make sure you factor in their account fees.
For sellers, Truelancer has a paid account system that allows you to bid on more jobs.
With a free account, you can only bid on up to 20 jobs per month. Paid accounts allow you to submit up to 150 bids:
| Free | Basic | Pro | Plus | Executive | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Truelancer Monthly Cost | Free | £5 | £10 | £50 | – |
| Truelancer Bids Per Month | 20 | 50 | 100 | 150 | – |
For the budget-conscious, a Truelancer free account is the winner for lower-value jobs however for higher-value jobs ($350+) than PPH is a more budget-friendly choice.
Truelancer For Sellers
Truelancer has fewer freelancers than People Per Hour and other platforms such as Upwork so there is less competition which makes it ideal for people who are new to freelancing.
Truelancer For Buyers
Truelancer has a lot of freelancers from countries where the cost of living is relatively low meaning that their prices are cheap.
This means that if you are looking for high-quality work on a budget then Truelancer is a good PPH alternative to try out.
Truelancer Stats
| Number Of Active Freelancers | Annual Revenue | Organic Web Traffic | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Truelancer | Unknown | $49,000,000 | 281,000 visit a month |
7. Servicescape
Servicescape has been around for a long time but has largely flown under the radar, it specializes in Editors, Translators, Graphic Designers & Writers.
Unlike People Per Hour it has narrowed its marketplace down a specific set of job types.
Servicescape Fees Vs People Per Hour Fees
| Platform | Seller Fees |
|---|---|
| People Per Hour | 20% for the first $350 per buyer. 7.5% from $350–$6,500 per buyer. 3.5% on orders over 6,500 pounds per buyer. |
| Servicescape | Unknown |
Servicescape For Sellers
Servicescape features a directory of all their freelancers, if you hit certain targets then you will receive ‘Elite’ status and gain more visibility in their directory which will lead to more jobs.
You can view those targets here under ‘The Freelance Directory’ heading.
This is both a pro and con for sellers as it can be hard to get yourself established on the platform initially, however if you stick at it and gain ‘Elite’ status you can do well on there.
Servicescape For Buyers
Unliked People Per Hour, Servicescape vets all of their freelancers meaning you can be confident that whoever you hire will definitely have the required skills.
Although the pool of freelancers is smaller than other platforms the overall quality is typically higher.
Servicescape Stats
| Number Of Active Freelancers | Annual Revenue | Organic Web Traffic | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Servicescape | – | – | 146,000 |
8. TopTal
Toptal is a very different platform to People Per Hour.
Unlike PPH, Toptal vigorously vets all of its candidates, just being accepted onto the platform is a huge achievement for most freelancers!
Freelancers on TopTal are taken from the top 3% of performers in their industry.
Whereas PPH features pretty much anyone.
TopTal Fees Vs People Per Hour Fees
| Platform | Seller Fees |
|---|---|
| PPH | 20% for the first $350 per buyer. 7.5% from $350–$6,500 per buyer. 3.5% on orders over 6,500 pounds per buyer. |
| TopTal | They do not disclose fees, they charge clients a % on top of the seller’s fees. Sellers have to sign an NDA which forbids them from discussing their fees with clients. |
TopTal For Sellers
Getting accepted onto Toptal is an impressive feat in itself, with a 5 stage testing process to get through!
If you manage to accomplish this then you can expect to be able to bid on some big jobs for big national and international companies.
The good news is there is far less competition on Toptal as 97% of your competitors have already been screened out.
TopTal For Buyers
Toptal features top talent which isn’t cheap.
If you’re looking for someone to do a quick, budget-friendly, job then Toptal isn’t for you, as their prices start at $60/hour, People per Hour is likely to be a better choice.
However, if you need an expert in their field who can be trusted to deliver high-quality results then Toptal is a great place to look.
TopTal Stats
| Number Of Active Freelancers | Annual Revenue | Organic Web Traffic | |
|---|---|---|---|
| TopTal | – | $520,000,000 | 959,000 |
9. SEO Clerk
SEO Clerk is a niche marketplace specifically to service the SEO industry.
SEO Clerk Fees Vs PPH Fees
| Platform | Seller Fees |
|---|---|
| People Per Hour | 20% for the first $350 per buyer. 7.5% from $350–$6,500 per buyer. 3.5% on orders over 6,500 pounds per buyer. |
| SEO Clerk | 10% |
SEO Clerk For Sellers
Becoming a successful seller on SEO Clerk is all about ranking your gig well in their marketplace.
Promoting your gig outside of the platform, getting positive reviews and responding quickly to client requests will all help with this.
As with People per Hour there are no monthly membership fees on SEO Clerk.
SEO Clerk For Buyers
SEO Clerk doesn’t vet their sellers so it can be a risky place to shop unless you know exactly what you’re looking for.
There are countless gigs selling valueless link packages and other low-quality gigs.
I’d honestly only recommend SEO Clerk to people who are experienced enough in SEO to sift the good from the bad.
SEO Clerk Stats
| Number Of Active Freelancers | Annual Revenue | Organic Web Traffic | |
|---|---|---|---|
| SEO Clerk | – | $3,000,000 | 47,000 |